I LOVE baking, I LOVE being a wife, and most of all, I LOVE being a mommy. This blog shares my passion for all things sweet combined with a bit of mommy and wife humor. At the end of my hectic day, instead of a cocktail, I prefer to stuff my face with a gooey brownie or super moist, old-fashion piece of cake. To survive my life, a sense of humor and at least a cup of sugar is a must!

Baking cookies for the girls’ classes are a big part of our Christmas celebrations. This year, I was looking to do something more fun and unique than the average decorated sugar cookie. I have been totally consumed with production happenings, the girls’ school functions, and everything else household related. So it is a super huge relief to finally get back into my kitchen and get creative. These sugar cookie people are my simple cut out recipe, that is filled with clear, homemade vanilla...

Woohoo! NFL begins this week and I have the best semi homemade, super easy game day dessert. These are a dream for those Oreo and Nutter Butter cookie lovers. I had a ton of half empty bags of Oreo cookies laying around. Plus, y’all will remember me saying that I always have these wonton wrappers hidden in the fridge. I guarantee these are a show stopper at your next tailgate! My Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Dumplings swirl together Oreos and Nutter Butter cookies with...

These look crazy good, right? Yes, they are gluten free and no one will EVER know it! I easily converted my famous brownie recipe for those who require a gluten free diet. Let me tell you, one of the things I detest about gluten free baked goods….crumbly and dry. Yuck, I feel like every time I try a GF dessert from a store, bakery, or restaurant I am eating chalk. I feel EVERYONE on EVERY diet deserves the right to a good ooey-gooey dessert. And these brownies will do just the trick. Not much explanation needed for this...

I have been DYING for custard. Yes, craving and wanting warm chocolate custard, like nobody’s business. And my littles have actually been begging for this sweet and smooth treat too. I am always apprehensive about purchasing the pre-made, store bought pudding for school lunches. Actually, I REFUSE to let my kids eat that, it seems just super duper artificial. Gabby’s been begging, almost daily, for chocolate pudding. But, for selfish reasons, I decline to make it because I cannot resist eating every bowl in the house. And...

Yes, it’s that time again….school!!! Seriously, this momma welcomes the school year very happily every late summer. I don’t know about y’alls children or even yourselves, but everyday when school lets out, my kiddos are STARVING. I am bombarded every time they walk through that door with “what can I have for a snack?”. And majority of the time my littles are craving something sweet. I absolutely don’t want them eating dessert or cookies after school; so I figured why...

What other fun Smore items can I possibly concoct to get your attention? Well, I will just pat myself on the back with these sweetly rich bars. I played up the typical smore by using peanut butter sandwich cookies, along with the usual culprit, graham crackers. These 2 crunchy, sweet items blend together to form the perfect crust as the base for my Brownie Smore Bars. This is the perfect combination of crunchy, ooey-gooey, and sticky sweetness in every bite. And yes, this is my “famous” Food Network brownie recipe,...

I will apologize for your jeans becoming tighter, right now. This is a ridiculous and yummy over-the-top version of Smores. National Smores Day is August 7th, I will be throwing a few fun recipes your way, so you can celebrate properly. These sweet dessert eggrolls are really a smores lovers dream come true. Oooey-gooey and warm. Yes, the marshmallows survive the frying and become soft and delicate. Smores Cheesecake Eggrolls are simply divine. Between the littles and I, they were gone by 10:30 this morning. Well...

Y’all know I don’t just dabble with chewable desserts, right? I mean, my previous post was the Buttery Wizard Shake, which is perfectly awesome and sweet. But what about those times we want to kick back and enjoy a cocktail, but are not really in the mood for something fruity? Well darling, do I have one for you! This recipe, Adult Milk & Cookies, is a show stopper. Can’t you just imagine a party with a table full of these cute little milk bottles perfectly dripping with chocolate ganache? Adult Milk &...

I’m about to take the plunge and share with y’all my super secret Buttery Wizard Shake recipe. The photo that I posted on Instagram has been taking the country by storm, even Everyday With Rachael Ray Magazine had something to say about this ridiculousness! My daughters adore this vanilla-butterscotch and toasted marshmallow concoction. I mean, who wouldn’t?! Cool, creamy vanilla ice cream, swirled with a buttery butterscotch and topped with a perfectly browned, toasted marshmallow. This is one of my all-time favorite...

If you live in Central Florida, you may have seen me on WESH 2 news on the CW 18, Friday, July 3rd. I was on with 2 of my daughters, Gracie and Gabby, presenting kid-friendly 4th of July desserts. I am a big advocate to get your kids in the kitchen and thanks to WESH 2, I was able to have the girls demonstrate our Glitter and Smore Pops. As we spoke about other dessert ideas, the camera panned across the table at these fine, squared beauties….White Chocolate Red Velvet Rice Krispie Treats. Yes, they are amazing and...

We’ve been on a huge popcorn binge lately. The little ladies just can’t get enough of this stuff and of course, I always seem to have more than enough boxes of Orville Redenbacher in the pantry. I was craving salty-sweet big time this week, but nothing was satisfying me…until this happened. Yup, popcorn balls. But these aren’t your average, hard, Halloween treats. These babies were made with love, movie theater popcorn, cake mix, and M&Ms!!! Oh my, this just makes me smile. This classic...

I love summer and I especially love eating and gathering outside. The little girls have been preparing for the 4th of July for about a month now, fireworks, t-shirts, and red, white, and blue candies of all kinds scattered throughout the house. Some of our favorite times as a family is just heading outdoors and grilling up an awesome meal, accompanied by incredible desserts to gobble up. And yes, even the hounds appreciate a fun treat outside from time to time… It’s fun to kinda...

Yeh, you read that title correctly, Cake Batter Brownies. And yeh, ya saw those Rice Krispie Treats on top of my already delicious and famous brownies. It’s kinda sick, the things I concoct in my brain, while I am watching the littles swim in the pool on these hot days. I love my ooey-gooey brownies and I love any flavor of MY Rice Krispie Treats ( and I call them mine because I created a recipe that is different than your usual marshmallowy treat, which we will get into later). Ok, so yeh….I’ve got a sweet...

I wanted to introduce everyone to my fun swirled cookies, but do them with a patriotic twist! My girls LOVE these sandwich cookies and the best part is that these can be made into any flavors and colors those little hearts desire. The littles have always enjoyed those fun, pre sliced, decorated, refrigerated, cookie doughs you buy in the cold sections in the grocery stores. I wanted to make something just as fun, but more to my tastebuds’ liking. I am a sucker for all things cute and brightly colored, not to mention, all...

I’ve had a lot of emails, posts, and friends asking me to start incorporating recipes that can be made using box mixes and store bought goods. I understand that not everyone wants to bake from scratch, let alone has the time. I also understand, that you still want to present cute desserts and treats. I have nothing against boxed cake mixes, in fact, I usually have some in my house for projects such as this one. My children can totally tell the difference between boxed mix and a homemade cake (no lie), but that doesn’t mean...

It’s June and that means 1 month closer to The Americas Cake And Sugarcraft Fair in Orlando, Florida, September 18-20, 2015. I am really excited to be attending this years convention and learn new fondant and sugarcraft techniques. In case you missed my last post about this awesome 3 day event here is a little bit of information on The Americas Cake And Sugarcraft Fair, hosted by Satin Ice. “Buddy Valastro and Ron Ben-Israel among headliners at international cake show in Orlando; three-day expo seeking key sponsors...

Ever since my brownies were on Food Network, y’all and my family just can’t get enough of them! Brownies, brownies, brownies…But then my brain said “hey why don’t you try putting that yummy brownie batter into a cookie?”. Uhhh, that seemed like a fabulous idea, not to mention extremely delicious. I am the self declared “cookie queen” and was pretty determined to figure out how the heck to work this idea out. I really wanted to wow the socks off of my girls and let them bite into a...

It is super hot out here in Orlando and it’s only May! We are outside almost everyday in our pool and eating a heavy cake poolside isn’t always the easy answer to dessert. I wanted to make something that would feel “light”, but not necessarily light on flavor or sugar. I was looking for a fun combo that would pair well with fruit, but not your typical caramel or yogurt based dip. I had a bunch of individual packages of mini Nilla Wafers, Nutter Butter, and Oreo cookies laying around the house, left over from...

Memorial Day is upon us! Woohoo, super close to summer and NO school schedules. I always remember, while growing up in Chicago, going to the neighborhood’s Memorial day picnic. It is a fun day to get outside and celebrate those who have sacrificed so much for America. There are a lot of really cute desserts you can create to bring along with you to your picnics, but today, I will be teaching y’all cookie pops. Cookie pops are those thick-cut, sugar cookies you can buy and have delivered to someone special. You can...

We ventured into the hot Florida sun this past Sunday morning, to pick our very own blueberries for the first time ever. Yup, I am 35 years old and have never ever been to a blueberry patch! Not quite sure why I have waited so long for this short and fun adventure, but I must say the girls and I had a blast. 5 pounds of fresh blueberries and 1 hour later, we were dirty, hot, and happy. I told the girls they better be ready for some blueberry overloaded desserts. Yeh, y’all saw my epic muffin fail on Food...

Ahhh, finally after many weeks of hiding out because I had to keep the zipper on my big mouth, I am finally able to talk about Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship episodes I was on! Woohoo. Ugh, you have NO idea how hard it is for me to keep a secret, especially when it involves baking, tv, and big celebrities. So there you have it, I made it through 3 of the 6 episodes of Spring Baking Championship on Food Network. Not bad for an amateur stay at home mommy baker. It seriously was an emotional roller coaster,...

Yes, I have been off the blogging radar for quite sometime. Ok, a real long time. There is really good reason for it, I promise. First let’s talk about spring. I love spring in the south! It’s not too too hot and definitely no longer cold, I consider it just perfect. Spring is the time of year I love to add citrus and bright colors to our desserts. One of my favorite flavors is key lime, so tart and tangy. What a delightful wake up to your slumbering winter tastebuds. I have worked an awful lot the past 3...

I’ve never claimed that my dessert recipes are healthy. And today isn’t the day I will start. I had a few left over eggroll wrappers left from dinner this week and instead of throwing them out, I started brainstorming. I was curious what sweet desserts I could create and the family would just adore. It’s no surprise to anyone that cookie dough is one of our favorite sweet treats. The minute the girls hear the mixer whirling around they come running with spoons. I LOVE cookie dough and I am quite guilty of...

This post is gonna be short, cute, and sweet. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these cute little robins nests. How stinkin cute? Right? You and your kids will really enjoy making them to sit on top of your spring cupcakes, cakes, or just your dessert plates. They add a nice spring touch and show your guests that you went that extra mile to present them something a little special. As I have said before, I love Easter candy. These nests use the mini Whopper eggs, but by all means, use whatever cute little egg candies your heart desires FYI, if...

It’s here, that time of year where every store you go into is jammed packed with all sorts of yummy spring candies. I have a hard time not buying every bag of every flavor spring candy available. I rarely bring the little ladies with me down those isles because there is a guarantee of at least $20 worth of candy to be purchased. I’m sure I’m not the only mommy out there who struggles with the holiday isles, but Easter isles always hit us hard. After my many excursions down the spring displays and Easter...

As a child, I remember walking into my Polish Gramma’s house during the holidays and smelling the spicy aroma of her gingerbread cookies. It was a comforting, welcoming, and loving kitchen that always had freshly baked cookies or cakes that would overtake you sense of smell. Whenever I bake during the holidays, I instantly am taken back to Gramma’s house when the smell of ginger and cinnamon fills my kitchen. I never did receive any of my Gramma’s recipes, as they were lost with her when she...

I love hot cinnamon oatmeal on a cold night. And yes, even though I live in Orlando, it gets cold here. There is nothing more warming to my heart than a warm cinnamon spice cake. But let’s take that one step further and mix in some oatmeal to make it hearty and dense….Then I am going to blow your mind by topping this old fashioned cake with some homemade toasted marshmallow frosting. This recipe is old school, but I have tweaked and updated the ingredients to my liking. It is a unique cake with a large dense...

Christmas celebrations are all said and done. Now I find myself with an abundance of candy canes and peppermint hard candies. Oh what to do?! Well, I will show you how to use some of those candies up in a super yummy way. These Peppermint and White Chocolate Stuffed Cookies are sweet, buttery, salty, and minty all in one bite. Quite the little crowd pleaser and you won’t have those neglected candy canes hanging around your kitchen anymore. Battling the ingredients and a couple of failed attempts, I finally nailed my idea...

I’m sure you now know, I was on the Today Show December 17, 2014. I was one of the 3 Holiday Cookie Finalists to present our cookies to the judges and be crowned the winner. The Today Show was amazing and everyone there is super sweet beyond words. I felt at home, completely comfortable and not one bit nervous. The behind the scenes hospitality is amazing and I was treated like a princess. I am happy to say I was the grand prize winner. And I got to kiss Al Roker!!! Here is the link: Holiday Cookie Segment. The Today Show...

I bake these Perugina Chocolate Lovers Stuffed Cookies very often. My family of 6 are huge fans of Perugina chocolate and crave dark chocolate all the time. My sweet young daughters are always in the kitchen with me enjoying every moment of hiding the Perugina chocolate squares in the delectable Perugina chocolate cookie dough. My husband is a die-hard fan of dark chocolate and I am always looking for new ways to incorporate it in fun baked goods. Everyone who tries these beauties can’t get over the...

My No Bake Sophisticated Holiday Bark is such a show stopper at all of my holiday gatherings. It also makes the perfect gifts for coworkers, neighbors, and teachers. It is light, fruity, nutty, and perfectly sweet with the wonderful combinations of dark and white chocolates, orange, cinnamon, cranberries, and walnuts. Say good-bye to the expensive, mundane, store bought Holiday bark and hello to a bark that you can create with love. My Sophisticated Bark is so quick and delicious your friends will be begging you for the recipe....

Hello Holidays! It is time for all things red, green, and peppermint! Tired of the same old red velvet cupcakes making an appearance on your Christmas dessert table? Well I’ve got something for you, whoopie pies. The name just makes me smile. Explaining what these were to my little ladies without them having a picture to look at was quite comical…A cake that is like a sandwich? Now, this recipe is a twisted version of my incredibly moist and classic red velvet cake batter. It is a labor of love when it comes to...

These past few weeks have been a blur in my mind. They have seriously slipped by me at a blink of an eye. I can’t even believe I have already been to Las Vegas and competed in the World Food Championship 2014! Yes folks, I did it! And I feel that I represented the home bakers out there darn good. There were overwhelming emotions the entire time, mostly because I have NEVER been away from my little ladies or husband. The anxiety and “high” you feel just standing on the sidelines of these makeshift, outdoor,...

I’m in the ultimate countdown now! Only 9 days left until I leave to compete in Las Vegas at the 3rd World Food Championship! Squeee, you probably can’t even understand all of the overwhelming emotions I am having at this point. But all that jazz aside, it was time I surprised the family with some super yummy morning treats! Yeh, not very many people can say no to these, Chocolate Filled Croissants. I am swimming in Ghirardelli chocolates of all kinds, and no, that’s not a bad thing! Especially when you are...

In the midst of my Las Vegas World Food Championship preparations, I took a little time to whip Gabby up a batch of Pumpkin Bundlettes. I just adore these sophisticated, yet perfectly portioned molds. I found my 4 inch bundlette pans on amazon. Now, they are a pretty penny, but I have NO complaints otherwise. These simply delicious cakes are scrumptious naked but for me, I wanted to jazz them up with a bit of my obsession…Cookie Butter. I call it Cookie Butter, but it is actually Biscoff’s Cookie Spread. Yup, still...

So yeh, you’re probably thinking, “where has she been?”. “Where are some new recipe blogs?”. Well, let me just apologize and simple explain by saying it has been more chaotic than normal in the Evans’ household. I have been extremely busy perfecting secret recipes to use for in Las Vegas for the World Food Championships this November. Wow, talk about stressful! So confusing on what types of goodies to create and questioning whether or not the judges will swoon. I mean, I...

Ya see what Ethel from Frank’s Red Hot is riding on? Well, it’s mine!!! SQUEEE! That’s right, I am the grand prize winner for a Frank’s Red Hot motorcycle!!! I can’t believe it. I am new to contesting, but not new to photography, art, and baking. But I am seriously blown away that within 30 days, I have bagged 2 grand prizes and a ticket to the World Food Championship in Las Vegas this year. Wow, takes away my breath. My photo submissions through Instagram were chosen as finalists in August...

Came across those Eggo pumpkin spice frozen waffles today. Yup, bought them and double yup…made my Crispy Waffle Treats with them! And let me just tell you they are SUPER simple and SUPER D-licous!!!! I LOVE all things pumpkin and I am getting ready to bombard this blog with a plethora of pumpkiny desserts. So, I will apologize in advance for the pumpkin exhaustion. Not much to say about these little treats, except there are only 4 ingredients. For step by step pictures, please refer to my Crispy Maple Waffle Treat recipe....

I believe I have explained to y’all before, that my husband and girls are head-over-heels for waffles…Yes, for as long as I have known Trip (going on 11 years), he as always consumed at least 2 Eggo waffles for breakfast. The littles enjoy waffles every other morning because I just cannot fathom eating that stuff everyday of their lives. Today, I was craving rice cereal treats and found myself fresh out of the cereal. As I puttered around the cupboards and refrigerator, I came across a couple boxes of Mini...

It’s that time of year again, pumpkin season! Where everything and anything you can possibly imagine is flavored with this stuff! My family, however, has been eating pumpkin year round. This delectable flavor never leaves our cabinets. The requests for a dessert that features pumpkin occurs weekly in our household. There’s something so warm and comforting about the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin basking together! Since so many people are gearing up for fall, I figured it would be an awesome time...

I’ve been feeling a bit lacking in the sophistication department lately. Am I the only one who doesn’t really do tea time? I mean, I play it in the toy room on a weekly basis, but to actually sit and eat finger food and sip tea in mid-afternoon sounds delightful. I obviously have been missing out. I discovered boxes of Earl Grey Tea in my pantry this past week (I guess I was preparing for the zombie apocalypse). Quite honestly, tea was my husband’s obsession for quite sometime…Me? Well, I prefer to obsess over...

There are just some days I cannot get chocolate off my brain. ALL day long, ALL I want to eat is chocolate. It is an amazing thing and can take care of many Mommy problems. It’s my “Calgon Take Me Away” place. My little girls feel the same about chocolate. I’m pretty sure there are NO other flavors that come close to being their favorite choice of any dessert. I am a firm believer that one bite of that sweet, dark-brown goodness, makes every problem, boo-boo, or heartache minuscule. Is there any better...

If you are not on my Facebook page, Twitter, or Ghirardelli’s fan pages, then you haven’t heard that I am the grand prize winner of The Ultimate S’mores Contest!!! Yes sir, I won their national contest for the most creative s’mores recipe. If you have been following my blog then you will remember my post on my Mini Mason Jar S’mores Shakes. Those sweet, little frozen treats brought home the grand prize of a year’s supply of Ghirardelli Chocolate and a $5000 ultimate s’mores party...

In anticipation of National S’mores Day, celebrated on August 10th, I have decided to share with you my cakey version of this fun and messy treat. There is actually another reason for this special cake too, but that explanation will have to wait for now! I know it is making you antsy just knowing I will be revealing a secret soon… S’mores are one of my “fall back on” flavors for dessert choice. The combination of the sweet, creamy chocolate with the gooey, toasted marshmallows followed by a nice...

I’m SO excited to announce that I was one of 5 people chosen from Cookmore.com to be a contestant in the World Food Championships 2014!!!! I, seriously, worked very hard creating recipes that would get me noticed! This is huge for my baking career and family! If you don’t know what the World Food Championship is, I will let their official website explain: “The World Food Championships is the natural progression of the thousands of cooking competitions that take place across the globe each year....

Even though I bake with full blown butter, sugar, and flour, it is always nice to change things up from time-to-time. And quite honestly, my family doesn’t even realize when I bake gluten free. Yes, I know, I should be incorporating these ideas and recipes more often on our dessert menu because they truly are better for you, but some habits are just SO difficult to break! My gluten free recipes are surprising to most because they are really, really delicious. The best part is they can very easily be turned eggless...

There is a BIG benefit, besides weather, to live in Orlando, Florida…theme parks! We basically have multiple “large and famous playgrounds” only minutes from our home. Universal Resort sports amazing Harry Potter attractions, goodies, and alternate worlds. It was at Universal Islands Adventure, that we had our first addicting sip of Butterbeer. Of course, if you didn’t know, Butterbeer is from the series of “Harry Potter” books. Butterbeer at Universal is served as a cold beverage or a frosty...

One word, incredible. That’s what people say when taking a bite of my cookie dough frosting. It’s as if you just dipped the top of that cupcake into a bowl of freshly made cookie dough! This frosting isn’t for the occasional sweet lover, it is for the die-hard, spoon-licking, hardly-any-left-to-bake, cookie dough lover. My cookie dough frosting is my exact chocolate chip cookie recipe, minus the baking soda and eggs. So yes, pregnant ladies, you may indulge. This is probably one of my most popular cupcake...

Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! It only seems right to share my most favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with you today! These are very easy and very tasty. I am picky with my cookies (just like my cake textures). My family and I love cookies that have a nice crunchy edge, but are moist and soft in the center. I love reheating these chocolate chip cookies the next day to enjoy the sweet, buttery goodness as if they just came out of the oven again! But honestly, most of the time, they don’t make it to see the...

Everyone in my household LOVES Ghirardelli chocolate. We always have some bars, chips, or squares on hand. So, when I came across Ghirardelli’s new bags of mini chocolate squares in an array of flavors, it put a little skip in my step. These have been a staple in our house for over a month now. The newest flavor I came across was the Sweet Dark Chocolate Cookie Bits Mini squares. These are perfect for my little ladies, who can’t seem to get enough of anything with chocolate wafer cookies crushed inside! I was making my Chocolate...

I believe it is my civil duty to share this new recipe with you! These cookies basically speak for themselves, Cookie Butter Stuffed Snickerdoodles! Yup, this will be your NEW favorite cookie. Cookie Butter Stuffed Snickerdoodles were born the other day when the hamsters in my brain got to running. I was actually dipping a shortbread cookie into my Biscoff Cookie Spread Jar and thought, “why haven’t I tried filling a cookie with this stuff?!”. And so my mission began, figuring out how to stuff this buttery,...

Are you looking for a change in your dessert or breakfast toppings? Want to pep things up for breakfast? Well, let me introduce you to my light, refreshing, sweet, and colorful summertime topper, Watermelon Strawberry Basil Compote! Isn’t she pretty? With all of these yummy summertime fruits laying around my kitchen, I just had to whip up a tasty treat. It is a super simple and tasty, not to mention a show stopper. Just look at those vivid colors! There are no limits to what you can place my Watermelon Strawberry...

You probably thought I would be over my cookie butter issues by now, but nope! I must admit, I dream of this stuff. Those who know me really well are not surprised that my new obsession was added to my “life’s necessities” list. Taco Bell and Starbucks are among those on the top of my chart, followed closely with Jello’s instant pudding (right Sam?). My Cookie Butter Lover’s Cake has been a huge hit among friends, family, and the internet. I am so excited and happy y’all are enjoying that...

Everyone who knows me well, knows that I am an admitted Starbucks addict. It is not a hidden secret. If the company offered stock for their best customers, I would be one of their top share holders. When we lived in Santa Monica for a year, our apartment was on top of a Starbucks, which fueled my addiction. It became very apparent that I had a problem when my then, 2 year old daughter, could order my drink verbatim. My coffee habits have become the butt of many jokes in my family and each of our daughters can down an entire...

It seems that I get at least 2 requests for my gluten free recipes a week. Diets may change, people choose a healthier lifestyle, or a necessity to change eating habits due to a medical issue, but the common “whoa” of this diet is the need to have that special treat from time to time. I was challenged with the gluten free recipes 3 years ago. My daughter’s preschool teacher has a gluten free diet. There are always little kiddos bringing treats to school for birthdays and snacks, but what about those who cannot...

This weekend, I found myself eating spoonfuls of Biscoff Cookie Spread (yes, again). Geeze, that stuff is WAY addicting and there is no way you can eat just one bite! I can’t even tell you how the thought of this warm, cinnamon, buttery goop just makes me drool. Yeah, I am in serious need of cookie spread counseling, I know… I had the idea of turning this fabulous stuff into ice cream. No, not the homemade, churn-your-own ice cream kind. But the simple, fast, and tasty way to make your own flavored ice cream at home....

I found my fruit basket left with only 4 Georgia peaches left. That made yesterday’s dessert feature very easy, but what to make? I had a couple of my 4 inch Big Boy Vanilla Cakes left from a couple of days ago (don’t despair, the were wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and tucked away in the freezer). I have mentioned before that my cake bases freeze extremely well and taste just as fresh when thawed. I hate having a bunch of left overs that end up in the trash so, I have learned to portion correctly. Ok, back on...

Three of my sweet little ladies are attending gymnastics summer camp this week and they are loving it! I won’t lie, I am actually loving it too because they come home at 3:30 and are pretty much exhausted. After I dropped the gymnasts at camp, I stopped in to browse Old Time Pottery. I LOVE this store. It is extremely dangerous for my wallet, especially with the isles of glassware, tableware, and let’s not even talk about the unique bakeware! Anyway, I came across these tiny mason jar mugs for only $0.89! They are...

This invention of mine is epic! I would like to declare myself insane after I tell you about my newest dessert. Drunken Peaches N Cream Cake! Ohhhh, just the name rolling off my tongue makes me drool for this sweet, tart, buttered-rum goodness. My new cake will make people who don’t like peaches rethink their tastebuds. I am one of those people! I am not really a peach fan, but I am a fan of this cake. The peachy taste is not overbearing and is complimented by my butter rum glaze I poached them in. I had 8 fresh peaches in...

Allow me to introduce you to my newest, little sweet-tart, Ricotta Orange Marmalade Buttermilk Cake. Yeh, the name is quite a mouthful, but this mini cake has too many features and I didn’t want to leave the exciting ones out. Y’all know I’m not a big fruit dessert person, but I know many people who are. I have had tons of requests for fruity cake and cupcake recipes. Once again, I found myself searching the pantry hoping for a unique or overabundant ingredient to jump out at me. Why do I have so many flavors...

Pumpkin and chocolate are a great combination in my little head! Today, the littles were requesting my brownies as an afternoon delight. I had to oblige because who can turn down a perfectly moist, rich brownie? Ahh, but for the adults in the family, I felt the need to make it a little more special. I have been really craving pumpkin after cleaning out my baking cabinets and finding a ton of Jello’s instant pudding pumpkin spice mix. I had the strong urge to make a pumpkin cream cheese filling and turn my brownies into a...

There is nothing more exciting than having those cute little Girl Scouts ring your doorbell or chase you down in the grocery parking lot to sell you a box of their scrumptious cookies. I am always sad when our freezer stash of these crunchy, treats disappear. I was craving the famous “Caramel Delites” AKA “Samoa” cookies (that’s how old I’ve become, they changed their names?) and figured that would make the perfect dessert for tonight. Instead of cookies, I wanted to use the...

Creamy Celery & Almond Cupcakes The challenge of my baking today takes on celery! Yes, people, celery. It is perfect timing to tie this concoction into my baking with veggies recipes. I had a fresh stalk of celery just awaiting me in the refrigerator. Off to work I go, disguising more vegetables in a delightfully sweet treat for my little girls. This cupcake recipe combines the flavors of bold celery, almond, and cinnamon. It’s really quite a combination. The celery comes through strong after you swallowed the...

HEELLLLOOOOOO BEEEAAAAUUUUTIFUL! This cake is a thing of beauty! I can’t believe how happy everyone is with my new Cookie Butter Lover’s Cake. But, in all fairness, how can you look at this sweet goodness and NOT grab a fork?! My entire family and I are COMPLETELY head over heels for Biscoff’s Cookie Spread. It is heaven on a spoon. Seriously, don’t tell on me, but, I just bought 4 jars and I’m 100% sure they will disappear in a few days. Biscoff’s Cookie Spread is my new sweet tooth...

There is nothing more comforting to me than a home that smells of warm cinnamon. Yes, it may be summer, but I want a warm spice cake! I also wanted to incorporate some veggies into dessert today. I am determined to get these girlies to eat some of nature’s goodness. I had a can of sweet potatoes hiding in my pantry and a freshly shredded bag of carrots. These make a perfect pair, especially when covered in cream cheese frosting. Yea, maybe this isn’t the “healthiest” way to eat your vegetables, but it...

It’s time to lighten things up and bring a little fruitiness into the mix. Today, I am feeling like we need to change the dessert from rich and gooey to bright, light, and tangy! Then the thought of refreshing lemons popped into my little brain! I have had many people enjoy my Blueberry-Lemon Cupcakes for quite sometime. Granted, fruity flavors are not MY go to choice for dessert but, on occasion, it is definitely nice to awaken your senses after a good dinner with a sweet and slightly sour treat. Last night, I was totally...

We had a wonderfully relaxing July 4th. No running around, no hosting parties, and no huge catering events, just the Evans’ family hanging out. I, of course, had a few, patriotic desserts planned throughout the day which included my Red Velvet layered cake. My girls LOVE this bright red beauty! Watching those little fingers become covered in red cake only seems fit on this holiday. But my Red Velvet cake is perfect all year round. It is not overly heavy and can very easily be summer-ized by adding some coconut or almond...

What? Me make breakfast? LOL. Yes, believe it or not I, 100%, suck at making breakfast items and cooking dinners. My husband won’t let me near his usual breakfast plate or let me assist in his weekend waffle makings. I am really not quite sure why I can’t shake a good breakfast recipe or two out of my arsenal. And preparing dinner? Ugh, it’s usually burned, over cooked, or way over sauced. Seriously, I belong on that show on Food Network, “Worst Cooks In America”. How I am able to dream up successful,...

Nothing puts a smile on my babies’ faces more than a heaping handful of cotton candy! I know, nothing but pure spun sugar, but there’s something magical about that airy, sweet stuff. Maybe it’s the pure sugar high that causes us to get the case of the giggles whenever we melt that blue and pink candy int our mouths. To us, it is a happy reminder to be a kid again. Cotton candy just puts summer fun, carnivals, and circuses on the map. I even know some adults who adore this stuff more than my girls. ...

By now ya’ll know my family really digs s’mores! And my husband, REALLY digs Ghirardelli Chocolate, actually it’s more like ANYTHING made with or by Ghirardelli. It’s been SO hot, the last thing on our minds is sitting by the campfire. Our dilemma though? We LOVE S’mores, especially made with Ghirardelli Chocolate. No joke, whenever a recipe or craving calls for chocolate, the ONLY kind the Evans’ grab is Ghirardelli! I quickly brainstormed after the kids were asking to have s’mores for...

It is a day where Mommy’s shower awaits on the back burner while everything else takes priority. Have you had those days? I mean, the kind of day where you look at the clock and think OMG it’s almost dinner time and I haven’t even washed my body yet? With 4 littles running around and not to mention, our youngest is literally into EVERYTHING, it’s no wonder I look as if I just rolled out of bed at 6:30 p.m. most of the time. This weekend has been in the high 90′s to low 100′s, which is miserably humid...

These beauties deserve the highest respect. I decided to photograph them in the “nude” just so you can see the light-airiness. Let’s just consider this a “boudoir” photo shoot for my delicate cupcakes. My Big Boy Vanilla Cupcakes got their name because when I make them in mass quantities, I must use my “big boy” mixer. Ya know, that mixing bowl that holds up to 14 cups of flour? Well, I have 3 wonderful mixers that I hold just as close to my heart as my daughters. No joke. Mishandle one of...

Frosting, it is a love-hate relationship for me. I hate frosting when it is thick, overly sweet, and leaves that weird residue on your tongue. Let’s not get into the bright and artificial colors that always stain my kids teeth, tongues, and lips whenever they go to a birthday party! Ok, Ok, I have been guilty of dying my buttercreams for my kiddos, but gee-whiz, the commercial markets can sometimes over do it. You may recall me saying that I am from Chicago, ya know the place that has REAL, old-fashion bakeries. Ugh, that was one...

The coconut cravings are ridiculous these days. I’m thinking it has something to do with the fact that we are always in the pool, it has been at least 95 degrees everyday, and my girls look as if they are running around in permanent, nude color, bathing suits while dressing in the morning. Ahh, to only be young again and carelessly frolic in your birthday suit while singing “Let It Go” at 7 a.m.! I love my little ladies taste for life and free-spirit shenanigans . No matter what chaos they have...

My little ladies were begging for some cookies yesterday. Not just any cookies, MY famous chocolate chip cookies! Their Daddy would be gone on call for 24 hours, so dinner would be easy Chickfila drive-thru. And since my guilt of not cooking for them always gets the best of me, I must follow up with a dessert of their choice! I wasn’t satisfied with presenting my precious babes with my basic chocolate chip cookie. It had to have a wow-factor. Something that would make people say “how did you do that?”. I...

Yeh, my day needs something special. I’ve put this day in the bag already and it’s ONLY 8:30 a.m.! Have you ever declared a redo? Well, I do ALL the time. You see, my weekdays always start at 4:30 a.m., just so I can spend some “alone” time with my husband (and actually have a conversation with someone who is taller than me) before he hurries off to work at 6:15 a.m.. And no, I rarely ever, go back to bed. Chores pile up, dishes are always a mile high, bills to pay, blog to write, and creative recipe...

For the past couple of days Red Velvet has been on my mommy brain. Ya’ll know what mommy brains are right? It’s basically functioning on empty (no sleep and little food) and having multiple random thoughts come across your brain faster than a speeding bullet. This tends to happen during my moments of heaviest conversation, “Gracie, you know you have homework due tomorrow, it is chapter 11-SQUIRREL!” And there you have it, a random, sometimes pointless, thought jumps into my weary brain. Perhaps this wandering squirrel...

We LOVE Smores, especially my husband. They mark the night by the campfire and have summer fun written all over them. But 2 days ago after cleaning up my 4 girls’ (and husband’s) Smores mess I had it! I mean yes, they are good and gooey, but the marshmallow and chocolate is constantly oozing out all over the table, shirts, hands, hair and faces. And my goodness, don’t ever consider serving this crowd pleasing dessert at a cocktail party. So, my baking expedition the next day was an elegant,...

Growing up in Chicago during the 80′s was a lot of fun. We lived in a new construction neighborhood and I remember making Mud Pies with my best friend in all of the newly dug up dirt. Little did I know about the delicious chocolate dessert that I had yet to meet. I was first introduced to Mud Pie when I moved to “The South”. I found Orlando, Florida to be my new home in the early 90′s and there were many new things for this northern girl to learn about! Who’d have thought that I...

Ok, I must admit that I have a bit of an obsession lately…Yes, I am obsessed with making the perfect scratch brownie. I’m not talking about the cakey bar type “brownie” recipes. Or dumping the mix from a box into the bowl and adding oil and eggs. I wanted a rich, moist, deep chocolate brownie that a 2″X 2″square of one satisfies your craving for the day. I have tossed many experimental batches in the trash and continue scratching my head wondering what am I missing?! Well, by golly, I have done it. I...

This summer has arrived so quickly here in Orlando. Our home is now a full time daycare, preschool, and elementary school. I am always looking for activities and outings for my young ladies. Of course, one of the daily to-do lists involves baking. Gracie (my 7 year old) and I have recently discovered the Rice Krispies Creative Kids Contest. This contest must be entered through Pinterest only. The requirements are no more than 10 ingredients from a chosen list provided by Rice Krispies and must include 3 mandatory ingredients of butter,...

Most Mommies can appreciate the daily adventures of little eyes staring at you while on the toilet, fingers peeking under the closed bathroom door, and always having an attentive audience in the shower with you. In a house of 6, someone’s usually calling your name every 1-2 minutes and then quickly forgetting why. Screaming your name as if there is a catastrophe, only to discover they are out of juice. Freshly cleaned shirts & skirts have turned into tissues. My makeup drawer is no longer neatly organized, instead always scattered...